More than 44 million Americans have a side hustle, whether that’s completing surveys on one of the best survey sites out there, selling handmade goods, or something else entirely. Many rely on their side hustle business to maintain a growing household income – which is why side hustling is hugely spread among stay-at-home moms and dads. Additionally, 15% of Americans use their side hustling experience to start their own business and replace their full-time job gradually. Admittedly, this tends to happen over a period of several years, but it makes side hustling one of the safest ways to entrepreneurship.
Interestingly enough, as side hustle has grown from a place of tight schedules – where you already have a full-time job or time-demanding responsibilities, such as new parents – it relies essentially on tools that maximize short periods of availability. If you can make time at home, you can create a home office that keeps your activities focused and organized. But, more often than not, side hustling happens online. Mobile platforms – smartphone namely – enable busy individuals to maintain their work/life balance while working on the side. Need an overview? Here’s how mobile tech is making side hustling possible for everyone:
Immediate accessibility on the go
If you’re an Uber fan, you know already what it means to be available while you’re mobile. With Uber, you can book a ride at any time, and your query will reach the closest, available driver(s). Inspired by the on-demand market approach, more and more apps have developed this mobile availability to promote services and goods, as seen here https://www.intellectsoft.net/blog/android-app-development-examples-and-tips-inspired-by-uber/. For someone who’s looking to quick jobs on the side, this kind of apps offers a market of demand and offer that puts you in touch with people who need your services in real time. With the option of signing in and out of the app to manage your time, you can get work allocated without requiring to go through the painful process of client acquisition. It’s quick and effective! Besides, if you set your notifications right, all you need is a short message to prepare you for a job!
Set your on-the-go payment method too
Working on the go also means you have to be paid on the go. For some side hustlers, this can be an issue, especially if you can’t set a payment method that suits your situation. After all, not everyone carries cash nowadays, which can be problematic. If you can work through a dedicated platform, you can get paid directly via the app, as it’s the case with Uber. But if it’s not the case, you want to use a pay as you go approach, by setting a Paypal account for instance. You can also find apps that let you send an invoice and accept card-based payments if you prefer.
Managing your digital presence with your phone
Nothing says you’re an active mobile professional as much as sharing your side hustle news via social media. Unless you work in a professional marketing environment, it’s fair to say that you may not know how to best manage your social media presence. However, apps such as Iconosquare, for instance, can make a great deal of difference in building an attractive profile and content feed online, https://www.searchenginejournal.com/social-media-marketing-smartphone-apps/257547/. Anchor.fm is another helpful tool on your phone to record short podcasts – something that can prove useful if you’re not keen on publishing written content!
Mobile side hustlers need to be organized from the start
Mobile side hustles are fast-paced by definition. You need to be prepared to make it work from the start, which is another way of saying that you need to schedule your side hustle launch. Indeed, you can’t embark on a world of jobs on the go without organizing your business presence, your business ideas, and even your implementation. Ultimately, a side hustle is a business. Therefore you need to treat it as such. While your business plan may not need to answer all questions, you have to make sure on paper that your side hustle adventure will be profitable.
Admittedly, you need to have a backup plan
Last, but not least, running a mobile side hustle doesn’t need just a smartphone. You will need to keep track of your income with regards to taxes, for instance. Additionally, if you produce creative or strategic pieces, you also need a safe storage solution. In other words, you can’t build your side hustle career without a home office. The other advantage of your home office is that you can recover essential mobile files that have been deleted from your phone. Keeping a backup of everything on your laptop will make your life a lot easier!
The key to successful mobile side hustling is in the preparation. From planning your business steps to sourcing the best apps for your on the go services, your research work will not be in vain!
